Mining machine



Nov. 21, 1939. 1 F, JQY 2,180

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J. F. JOY

MINING MACHINE Nov. 21, 1939.

Filed July l, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 h QW A W y N ai@ Nov. 21, 1939. J M QY 2,180359 MINING MACHINE Filed July l, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 35M fyi' 8 49g j Y 50 9? 98 wk; |||Il 99 Ef' E ill l m ma l O e Y 8 I i @a 29 a Y6 J. F. JOY

-MINING MACHINE Nov. 21, 1939.

Filed July l, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. F. JOY

MINING MACHINE Nov. 21, 1939.

5- sheets-sheet 5 Filed July 1, 1935 Patented Nov. 21, 1939 MNING MACHINE Massachusetts Application July 1, 1935, Serial No. 29,31()` 3 Claims.

This invention relates to mining machines, and more particularly to coal mining machines of the tractor tread, supported and guided type.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved coal mining machine. Another object is to provide an improved propelling, supporting and adjusting mechanism for a coal mining .maw chine. A further object is to provide an irnl proved elevating and adjusting means for the cutting mechanism of a coal mining machine of the above character. These and other objects and advantages of the'invention will, however, hereinaiter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings- Fig. l is a plan view of the illustrative form of the improved mining machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View or the mining machine shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View in longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on line,3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken sub stantially on line 4 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View showing the cable reel and its associated driving motor.

Fig. '7 is a cross sectional View taken substantially on line 'I l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken'substantially on line 8 8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l0 is a detail sectional View taken on line in lll of Fig. 3.

Fig. l1 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken substantially on line Il ll of Fig. 2.

Fig. l2 is a view in longitudinal section taken substantially on line I2 I2 of Fig. l1.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic View showing a hydraulic fluid system and the associated control means.

Fig. 14 is e. detail sectional view of the by-pass valve.

In this illustrated embodiment of the invention there is shown a coal mining machine of the tractor tread, supported and guided type generally comprising a tractor base, generally desig- -nated i, supporting a base frame 2 in turn supporting a frame 3 on the forward end of which is mounted a kerf cutting mechanism generally 55 designated ll. Mounted on the frame 3 is a cable reel device generally designated 5, whileysupported on the rearward portion of the base frame is a motor 6, herein preferably an electric motor, which is adapted to drive, through connections to be later described, the kerf cutting mechanism Il.

The tractor base I comprises tread frames 'I supporting alined rear axles 3, 8 and a iront axle 9, the tread frames 1 having cylindrical bearing portions I0 supporting bearing sleeves in which the rear` axles y, 8 are journaled. Mounted in longitudinal guideways `II formed in the forward portions of the tread frames 'I are adjustable bearing blocks I2 havingsuitable adjusting screws I3 and supporting bearings in which is journaled the front axle 9 in the manner shown in Fig. 4. The base frame 2 is supported between the tractor treads and has cylindrical bearing portions I4 supporting bearing sleeves alined with the cylindrical bearing sleeve supporting portions Ill of the tread side frames and in which the alined rear axles 8, 8 are journaled, the forward portion of the base frame having longitudinal slot-like openings I5 in the side walls thereof through which the front axle 9 extends, these openings permitting movement of the front axle with respect to the frame. Guidedon the tread frames 'I are endless track laying treads I6, I6 each in the form of an endless tread-plate-supporting block chain engaging drive sprockets I'I respectively keyed to the alined rear axles 8, 8 and front guide sprockets I3 keyed to the front axle 9. The bearing blocks on the tread frames may be adjusted to move the front axle in a longitudinal direction relative to the tread frames to take up undue slack in the endless tread chains. The tractor tread chains are driven each by a hydraulic motor I9, of a conventional design, secured to the opposite sides of the base frame 2 and projecting within the tractor treads between the top and bottom runs of the tread chainsvin the manner shown in Fig. 4. The power shaft 20 of eachl of these motors has keyed thereto a spur pinion 2l meshing with a spur gear r22 keyed to a horizontal transversely extending shaft 23. The shafts 23 are arranged in axial alinement, as'shown in Fig. 4, and are suitablyjournaled within the base frame 2. These alined shafts 23 project outwardly through the sides of the base frame and have 2 2,180,359 Ways of one axle is a sliding clutch element 28 ly of the gear housing 19 and suitably joulnaled operated by a pivoted clutch shipper 29, and therein. Operating uicl may be supplied to said 84 meshing with and driven by the gear 68 and keyed to a shaft 85 herein arranged parallel with the shaft 'i3 and likewise suitably journaled within the cutter head frame. Keyed to and driven by the shaft 85 is a worm 85 meshing with a high speed worm wheel 8l journaled on the shaft 76 in a manner similar to the worm wheel 'l5 and similarly connectible to the shaft by a multiple disc clutch. It will thusbe seen that when the high speed clutch connecting the worm wheel 8| to the shaft l0 is applied, and the gear 58 is driven, the cutter bar may be swung about its pivot, in a direction opposite from the slow speed bar swing, at av high bar positioning speed through the fast speed worm gearing 89, 8l, worm gearing 18, i9, shaft 8| and spur pinion 82 meshing with the internal gear S3. The worm gearing 13, 'I9 is of the self-locking type, and when the disc clutches controlling the fast and slow speed worm gearings are released, locks automatically the cutter bar against swinging movement about its pivot relative to the cutter head.

Hydraulically operated means is provided for bodily elevating the machine with respect to the mine floor comprising a pair of hydraulic jacks 90 mounted at the opposite sides of the base frame 2 at-the forward end of the latter and at the opposite sides of the head axis, and a third hydraulic jack 9| mounted .on the rear end of the base frame 2 midway between the sides of the latter. 'Ihese hydraulic jacks each comprise, as shown in Fig. 5, a vertically arranged hydraulic cylinder 92 containing a reciprocable piston 93 having a piston rod 94' extending downwardly through a packed lower head 95 of the cylinder,

the lower end of the piston rod having a bottom abutment surface 96 engageable with the mine oor. When hydraulic pressure is supplied to the upper ends of the cylinders 92, the pistons 93 are moved downwardly to bring the abutment surfaces 90 on the piston rods into engagement with the mine oor, and upon continued iiow of hydraulic pressure to these cylinders, the machine is raised bodily from the mine floor. It will thus be seen that these hydraulic jacks may be employed for moving the cutter bar into diierent horizontal cutting positions and by individually controlling the ow of liquid pressure to the hydraulic jacks, the cutter bar may be tilted to change its angle in altitude, thereby enabling the cutting of kerfs in planes inclined with respect to the horizontal. These hydraulic jacks may be also employed to raise the machine to enable rotation of the cutter head during swinging of the cutter bar from the full line position shown in Fig. 2 into its vertical shearing position.

In this illustrative construction, arranged in a horizontal, open-sided chamber 9'| formed in the upper portion of the upper frame`3 is an electric cable reel 98 journaled for rotation about a vertical axis and having wound thereon an electric conductor cable 99 for supplying motive power to the motor 6. motor of a conventional design is arranged within the upper frame S beneath the reel, and keyed to the vertical drive shaft of this motor is a spur gear ici meshing with a large spur gear |02 secured to the reel. The electric conductor cable 99 is guided with respect to the cable reel 98 by means of a spool-like guide element '|03 suitably mounted .on the side ofthe motor casing. Supported on the upper frame 3 at one side thereof is a conventional electric control box |04 for As shown in Fig. 6, a hydraulic controlling the electrical circuits of the motor 6. Mounted on the opposite side of the upper frame 3 is a control valve 4box |05 for controlling the supply of liquid pressure from a hydraulic pump |06 to the various hydraulic cylinders above referred to. As shown in Fig. 3, the pump |06 is arranged Within a liquid containing reservoir |01 formed in the upper frame 3 and is driven from the transmission shaft 62 by a spur gear |09 xed to the transmission sha-ft and meshing with a spur gear |09 xed to the horizontal drive shaft ||0 of the pump. In this instance, the pump casing is secured to the rear wall of the gear housing 49.

Now referring to the improved hydraulic fluid system and the associated control means shown in Figs. 13 and 14, it will be noted that the intake .of the pump |06 communicates with the reservoir |01, and the discharge side of the pump is connected through supply conduits l2 and I I3 to a by-pass valve H4 for varying the pressure in the hydraulic system, while leading from the by-pass valve is a mainA supply conduit through which hydraulic pressure is supplied to the various hydraulic devices. A return conduit I6 connects the by-pass valve H4 withthe reservoir |07. As shown in Fig. 14, the supply conduit ||2 is connected to the main supply conduit ||5 by a passage in the valve casing, While the conduit |l3communicates with a passage |I8 communicable through a passage ||9 with the passage and through a passage |20 with a chamber |2| with which the return conduit I6 communicates. The passages ||9 and |20 are controlled by end seating valves |22 and |23 respectively, having a suitable operating lever |24. When the lever |24 is swung into the position shown, both-of the pressure supply conduits ||2 and ||3 communicate with the main supply conduit H5, while the passage |20 is closed by the valve |23. When the lever |24 is swung into its opposite position, the passage ||9 is closed by the valve |22, while the passage |20 is open so that the supply conduitv ||2 communicates with the main supply conduit ||5 and the supply conduit ||3 is connected through the passage |20 and chamber |2| with the return conduit IIS. main supply conduit H5 leads from the by-pass valve I4 to the control valve box |05. The casing of the valve box |05 is formed with a plurality of vertical bores |26 having arranged therein control valves |27, |28, |29, |30, |3| and |32, respectively, each provided with a manual control handle'. Formed in the valve box casing and extending substantially thereacross and communicating with the lower ends of the valve bores is a liquid pressure supply passage |33 with which the main supply conduit H5 communicates. The valves are provided with upper annular channels |34, and communicating with these channels and connecting the upper ends o1 the valve bores together is a discharge passage |35 connected by a return conduit |39 to the reservoir |01. The bore for the valve |2|, which is herein the control valve for the hydraulic jacks, is connected by a conduit |39 and branched conduits M0 to the upper ends of the jack cylinders 92, the lower ends of these jack cylinders being connected by branched conduits IM to a conduit |42 leading to the bore for the valve |21. The bore for the valve |28, which is herein the control valve for the left hand tractor tread Idriving motor I9, is connected by conduits |43, M4 to the left hand motor IS. The bore for the valve |29, which is the control valve for the right hand tractor tread The" ff il driving motor I9, isV connected vto the ymotor through conduits |35 and |461. The bore Vfor the valve |30, which is the control valve for the left hand tread jack 114, is connected through a conduit |41 to the upper end of the jack cylinder and through a conduit |48 to the lower end of the jack cylinder. The bore for the valve I3I, which is the control valve for the right hand tractor tread jack M, is connected by a conduit |49 to the upper end of the jack cylinder and by a conduit |53 to the lower end of the jack cylinder. The bore for `the valve |32, which is the control valve for the reel driving motor IBD, is connected by conduits l5! and |52 to the reel motor. When the hydraulic jack control valve |21' is in the position shown in Fig, 13, liquid under pressure may flow from the supply passage |33 through a passage .on the valve, conduit M2 and branched conduits MI to the lower ends of the jack cylinders 192 while the upper ends of the jack cylinders are connected to `the exhaust passage |35 through the branched conduits llilconduit |39 and a passage lon the valve |27, thereby eiTecting upward movement of the jack pistons. When the position of the valve |21 is reversed, liquid under pressure may new :from the supply passage |33 through a passage on the valve, conduit |39 and branched conduits |53 to the upper ends of the jack cylinders, while the lower ends of the jack cylinders are connected to the exhaust passage |35 through the branched conduits |'i|, conduit |132 and a passage on the valve, and as a result, the jack pistons are moved downwardly within their cylinders to effect elevation of the machine. The branched passages Mi) leading to the upper ends of the jack cylinders are provided with individual control valves |53 whereby the flow of liquid pressure to the upper endsof the jack cylinders 92 may be individually controlled, thereby to enable the jacks to be operated to effect tilting of the machine to change its angle in altitude. When the control valve |23 for the left hand tractor tread driving motor I9 is in the position `shown in Fig. 13, liquid under pressure may flow 'from the supply passage |33 through a passage on the valve, conduit HM to the left hand tractor tread driving motor |3, while the exhaust of this motor is connected through conduit |43 and a passage on the valve to the discharge passage i35. When the position of the valve |28 is reversed, liquid under pressure may ow from the supply passage .|33 through conduit |43 to the motor to eiect drive of the latter in the reverse direction, while the motor exhaust is connected through conduit |44 and a passage on the valve to the discharge passage |35. When the control valve |29 for the right hand tractor tread driving motor 1S is in the position shown in Fig. 13, liquid under pressure may iiow from the supply passage |33 through a passage on the valve and conduit |46 to the motor, whilethe motor exhaust is connected through conduit |45 and a passage on the valve to the discharge passage |35. When the position of the valve |29 is reversed, liquid under pressure may flow from the supply passage |33 through a passage on the valve and conduit |45 to the motor I5 to effect drive thereof in the reverse direction, while the motor exhaust is connected to the discharge passage |35 through conduit |36 and a passage on the valve. When the valve |36, which controls the left hand tractor tread jack 'M, is in the position shown in Fig. 13, liquid under pressure may flow from the supply passage |33 through a passage on the valve and conduit |38 to the lower end of the jack cylinder, while the upper end of the jack cylinder is connected through conduit |41 and a passage on the valve with the discharge passage |35. When the right hand tractor tread jack control valve |3| is in the position shown in Fig. 13, liquidv under pressure may ow from the supply passage |33 through a passage on the valve and conduit |53 to the lower end of the jack cylinder, while the upper end of the jack cylinder is connected to the exhaust passage |35 through conduit |49 and a passage on the valve. When the positions of the Valves I 30, |3| are reversed, liquid pressure may ow through conduits |41 and |69 to the upper ends of the jack cylinders, while the lower ends of the jack cylinders are connected to exhaust through the conduits |48 and |53. When the reel motor control valve |32 is in the position shown in Fig. 13, liquid under pressure may flow from the supply passage |33 through a passage on the valve and through conduit |52 to the motor, while the motor exhaust is connected through conduit I5| and a passage .on the valve to the discharge passage I 35. When the position of the valve |32 is reversed, the conduit |5| is, connected to the supply passage |33, while the conduit |52 is connected to the exhaust passage |35, and as a result, the direction of drive of the reel mot-or is reversed. In any position of the valves above described, when it is desired to supply more pressure to the various hydraulic devices, the by-pass valves I 22, |23 may be positioned to supply pressure from both the supply conduits ||'2 and ||3 tothe main supply conduit H5.

The general mode of operation of the improved mining machine is as follows: The mining machine is propelled about the mine from one working place to another by the track-laying treads I5 driven by the hydraulic motors |S, i9. When it is desired to effect propulsion of the machine in a straight path, the rear drive axles 8, 8 are connected together by the sliding clutch 33 so that the track-laying treads are driven in unison. When it is desired to turn the niachine in one direction or the other, the clutch 2E! is moved into its released position to disconnect the rear axles 8, 8, thereby enabling independent drive and control of the track-laying treads by ltheir individual driving motors IQ, i9. To facilitate turning movement of the machine, hydraulic pressure may be supplied to the hydraulic jacks 134i for the tractor treads so that the pivoted tread guide frames 35 and 38 may be swung downwardly about their pivots with respect to the tread frames from the full line position shown in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position in that gure, thereby decreasing 'the Contact area or the treads with the ground surface. When the working place is reached, and it is desired to effect a horizontal cut in the coal seam, the hydraulic jacks 90, 9| are operated to elevate the machine bodily with respect to the mine iioor, and hydraulic pressure is then supplied to the head rotating motor 5|) to effect movement of the cutter bar about the head axis to its horizontal cutting position. The hydraulic pressure is then released from the hydraulic jacks so that the machine is lowered into the full line position shown in Fig. 2. The hydraulic pressure is also released frorn the tractor tread jacks Mi move the pivoted frames 35, 3S into the position shown in Fig. 2 so thatthe relatively large surfaces of the tractor treads engage the min-e iioor to stabilize the machine. The hydraulic jacks si), 9| may also be operated to jack the machine firmly in position during horizontal swinging of the cutter bar. The cutter bar is then swung horizontally at a high bar positioning speed to bring its tip end adjacent the right hand rib, and upon application of the slow speed bar swing controlling clutch ll', the cutter bar is swung horizontally about its pivot at a low cutting speed to effect an arcuate cut beneath the coal face. If desired, the hydraulic jacks may be raised during the cutting operation so that the cutter bar may be sumped beneath the coal and withdrawn from the coal by means of the endless track-laying treads, the tread driving motors driving the treads to effect a relatively low speed feeding movement of the machine forwardly and rearwardly. During this operation, the cutter bar is first sumped in, thereafter swung laterally across the face and lastly moved rearwardly from beneath the coal. Vlhen it is desired to insert a horizontal kerf in the coal face in an elevated position with respect to the mine floor, the hydraulic jacks may be operated bodily to elevate the machine, and the cutter head rotated to move the cutter bar about the head axis from the full line horizontal cutting position shown in Fig. 2 to the upper dotted line horizontal cutting position shown in that figure. The cutter bar may also be rotated about the head axis to bring the kerf cutter into a vertical shearing position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the cutter bar is in a vertical shearing position, it is swung upwardly about its pivot at a fast bar positioning speed to bring its tip end adjacent the mine roof. The machine is then propelled forwardly over the mine floor by means of the track-laying treads to eect sumping of the cutter bar within the coal. bar swing controlling clutch il is then applied to effect swinging movement of the cutter bar downwardly about its pivot at a low cutting speed until the tip end of the cutter bar reaches the mine oor. The tractor tread driving motors are then reversed and the machine is propelled rearwardly at a low cutting speed to effect withdrawal of the cutter bar from the coal. As the machine moves over the mine floor, the cable reel 98 may be operated to wind in or pay out the conductor cable 99 as desired. Under certain conditions, the track-laying tread driving motors may be independently operated to effect independent drive of the track-laying treads in opposite directions, thereby to swing the machine about a vertical axis to move the cutter bar about said axis in a horizontal plane across the coal face while the cutter bar remains stationary as regards swinging movement about its own pivot with respect to the cutter head. The cutter bar may be swung into right angled positions, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that it extends laterally from either side of the machine, andy the tractor treads may be operated to propel the machine longitudinally to effect feeding movement of the cutter bar in a direction to insert a long-wall cut in the coal seam at either rib. If desired the machine may be elevated by the hydraulic jacks, andl track rail engaging wheels placed on the projecting ends of the tread axles, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 7, thereby to enable the machine to operate as a The low speed wheel mounted track cutter, in a well known manner. Further uses and advantages of the improved mining machine will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While I have in this application specifically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modied and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new andv desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a mining machine having traction means for supporting and propelling the machine, and kerf cutting mechanism4` supported by said traction means and including a horizontal-kerf cutter, of elevating devices on the machine and engageable with the mine floor for bodily elevating the machine together with said traction means out of engagement with the surface over which the traction means moves, thereby to elevate said kerf cutter into different horizontal cutting planes, said machine when so elevated being solely supported by said elevating devices.

2. The combination with a mining machine having traction means for supporting and propelling the machine, kerf cutting mechanism supported by Said traction means and including a horizontal kerf cutter, of elevating devices on the machine and engageable with the mine floor for bodily elevating the machine together with v said traction means out of engagement with the surface over which the traction means moves,-

pendent operation thereof, thereby to tilt the kerf cutter with respect to the horizontal.

3. The combination with a mining machine having traction means for supporting and propelling the machine, and kerf cutting mechanism supported by said traction means and including a horizontal kerf cutter, of elevating devices on the machine and engageable with the mine oor for bodily elevating the machine together with said traction means out of engagement with the surface over which the traction means moves, thereby to elevate said kerf cutter into different horizontal cutting planes, said machine when so elevated being solely supported by said elevating devices, said elevating devices including elevating devices differently disposed both laterally and longitudinally with respect to said mining machine and another elevating device so disposed that it is at the opposite side of the center line of said mining machine from one of said other elevating devices, and means for independently controlling said elevating devices to effect independent operation thereof, thereby to tilt the kerf cutter longitudinally with respect to the horizontal or laterally with respect to the horizontal at will.

JOSEPH F. JOY. 

